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Oliver
Oliver & Company is a 1988 American animated musical buddy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on November 18, 1988 by Walt Disney Pictures. The 27th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is inspired by the classics Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, which has been adapted many other times for the screen. In the film, Oliver is a homeless kitten who joins a gang of dogs to survive in the streets. Among other changes, the setting of the film was relocated from 19th century London to late 1980s New York City, Fagin's gang is made up of dogs (one of which is Dodger), and Sykes is a loan shark. Oliver & Company began production around 1987 as Oliver and the Dodger. The film was re-released in the United States, Canada and the UK on March 29, 1996. It was then released to video later that same year, and again in 2002 and 2009 on DVD. The film was released on Blu-ray Disc in 2013, commemorating its 25th Anniversary. Plot On Fifth Avenue, an orphaned kitten named Oliver is left abandoned after his fellow orphaned kittens are adopted by passersby. Wandering the streets by himself in search of someone to adopt him, he meets a laid-back dog named Dodger who assists him in stealing food from a hot dog vendor named Louie. Dodger then flees the scene without sharing his bounty with Oliver. Oliver follows Dodger all throughout the streets until he eventually arrives at the barge of his owner, a pickpocket named Fagin, along with his meal, to give to his friends: Tito the chihuahua, Einstein the Great Dane, Rita the Afghan Hound and Francis the bulldog. Oliver sneaks inside, located below the docks, and is discovered by the dogs. After a moment of confusion, he is then received with a warm welcome. Fagin comes in and explains that he is running out of time to repay the money he borrowed from Sykes, a ruthless shipyard agent and loan shark. Sykes tells Fagin it must be paid in three days or else. Sykes' dobermans, Roscoe and DeSoto, attack Oliver but he is defended by Fagin's dogs. Immediately thereafter, a depressed Fagin returns to the barge, lamenting that he only has three days to find the money. After the dogs cheer him up, he is introduced to Oliver, and considering that they all need help, accepts him into the gang. The next day, Fagin and his dogs, now including Oliver, hit the streets to sell some shoddy goods and perhaps steal money. Oliver and Tito attempt to sabotage a limousine but the plan fails when Oliver accidentally starts it, electrocuting Tito, and he is caught and taken home by its passenger, Jennifer Jenny Foxworth, and her butler, Winston. Her parents are out of town and she adopts Oliver out of loneliness. Georgette, her pompous and pampered poodle, is enraged and jealous of his presence and wants him removed from the household. Dodger and the others manage to steal him from the Foxworth family and bring him back to the barge. He explains that he was treated kindly and did not want to leave, much to the shock of Dodger who feels that he is being ungrateful, but allows him the opportunity to leave. However, Fagin arrives, concocts a plan to ransom him, and sends Jenny a ransom note. She discovers it and sets out to get him back. Meanwhile, Fagin tells Sykes of his plan, who says he is proud of him for starting to think big. Later, Jenny meets up with Fagin, who is surprised that the very rich pet owner is only a little girl. Bothered by his conscience after seeing her distraught over losing Oliver, he returns him freely. Just then, Sykes comes out of the shadows and kidnaps her, intending to ransom her and declaring Fagin's debt paid. Dodger rallies Oliver and the other dogs to rescue Jenny from Sykes, but are confronted by Sykes, Roscoe and DeSoto after they free her. Fagin saves them with his scooter and a chase ensues into the subway tunnels. Jenny is pushed onto the hood of Sykes' car, where she holds onto the hood ornament, and Oliver and Dodger attempt a rescue. Roscoe and DeSoto fall off the car in the car in the struggle and land on the subway's third rail, which electrocutes them. Tito takes control of Fagin's scooter as Fagin manages to retrieve Jenny, and Tito drives it up the side of the Brooklyn Bridge as Sykes' car drives straight into the path of an oncoming train, killing him and throwing him and his car into the Hudson River. Dodger and Oliver manage to survive the collision and are reunited with Jenny and the others. Later, she celebrates her birthday with the animals, Fagin and Winston. That same day, Winston receives a phone call from her parents in Rome saying that they will be back tomorrow. Oliver opts to stay with her but he promises to remain in contact with Dodger and the gang. Cast * Joey Lawrence as Oliver * Billy Joel as Dodger * Cheech Marin as Tito * Richard Mulligan as Einstein * Roscoe Lee Browne as Francis * Sheryl Lee Ralph as Rita (speaking) * Ruth Pointer as Rita (singing) * Dom DeLuise as Fagin * Taurean Blacque and Carl Weintraub as Roscoe and DeSoto respectively * Robert Loggia as Sykes * Natalie Gregory as Jenny (speaking) * Myhanh Tran as Jenny (singing) * William Glover as Winston * Bette Midler as Georgette * Frank Welker as Louie * Additional voices: Deborah Gates, Charles Bartlett, Jonathan Brandis, Gal David, Marcia del Mar, Victor DiMattia, Judi M. Durand, Greg Finley, Javier Grajeda, Robert S. Halligan Jr., J.D. Hall, Jo Ann Harris, Rosanna Huffman, Barbara Harris, Harvey Jason, Karen Ichiuji-Ramone, Kaleena Kiff, Carol King, Mary Lee Kortes, Rocky Krakoff, David Lasley, Christina MacGregor, David McCharen, John McCurry, Arlin Miller, Nancy Parent, Whitney Rydbeck, Gary Schwartz, Vernon Scott, Penina Segall, Tom Snow & Eugene F. Van Buren Songs * Once Upon a Time in New York City (performed by Huey Lewis) * Why Should I Worry (performed by Billy Joel) * Streets of Gold (performed by Ruth Pointer) * Perfect Isn't Easy (performed by Bette Midler) * Good Company (performed by Myhanh Tran) * Buscando Guyaba (performed by Rubén Blades) * Fast Lane (performed by Rocky Pedilla, Michael Eckhart and Jon St. James * Why Should I Worry Reprise (performed by Billy Joel, Ruth Pointer, Roscoe Lee Browne, Cheech Marin and Richard Mulligan) * I Could Have Danced All Night (performed by Cheech Marin) * Heigh-Ho (performed by Cheech Marin) International premieres * United States: November 13, 1988 * Argentina: December 8, 1988 * Israel: July 15, 1989 * United Kingdom: October 13, 1989 * Spain: November 28, 1989 * France: November 29, 1989 * Norway: November 30, 1989 * West Germany: November 30, 1989 * Austria: December 1, 1989 * Denmark: December 1, 1989 * Italy: December 1, 1989 * Sweden: December 1, 1989 * Australia: December 14, 1989 * Finland: December 15, 1989 * Portugal: December 15, 1989 * Netherlands: December 22, 1989 * Brazil: December 25, 1989 * Hong Kong: January 18, 1990 * Ireland: March 16, 1990 * Hungary: April 5, 1990 * Japan: July 21, 1990 * Greece: February 7, 2008 International titles * Argentina, Mexico, Peru & Spain: Oliver y su pandilla * Austria & West Germany: Oliver & Co. * Brazil: Oliver e sua Turma * Bulgaria: Оливър и приятели * Canada & France: Oliver et compagnie * Croatia: Oliver i kompanija * Denmark: Oliver & Co. * Finland: Oliver ja kumppanit * Greece: Ο Ολιβερ και η Παρέα του (O Oliver kai i parea tou) * Hungary: Olivér és társai * Iceland: Óliver og félagar * Iran: Oliver va rofagha * Italy: Oliver & Company * Japan: オリバー ニューヨーク子猫ものがたり (Oriba: NyuYoku Koneko Monogatari) (Oliver: New York kitten's story) * Netherlands: ? * Norway: Oliver og gjengen * Poland: Oliver i spólka * Portugal: Oliver e seus Companheiros * Russia: Оливер и компания * Serbia: Oliver i družina * Slovenia: Oliver in njegova druscina * Sweden: Oliver och gänget International releases For information about international dubs and releases, Oliver & Company/International. Category:1988 films Category:1980s American animated films Category:American musical films Category:Films directed by George Scribner Category:Film scores by J.A.C. Redford Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios films Category:Walt Disney Pictures Category:Walt Disney Feature Animation